TELEVISION BROADCAST
Saturday's game will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, FOX Sports Midwest, ESPN Full Court and ESPN3:
- Comcast XFINITY (Bloomington-Normal): 56, 57, 519, 522, 535, 835, 922
- DirecTV: 665, 671
- DISH: 418, 429, 5418
- AT&T U-Verse: 649, 741, 1741, 1748, 4503
- Comcast XFINITY (Chicago-area): 37, 200, 415, 835
- Mediacom: 33, 733
- ESPN3.com
THE SERIES:
Illinois State plays at Southern Illinois Saturday afternoon for the 146th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1915, which the Salukis lead, 76-69. ISU is 18-47 versus SIU in Carbondale, Illinois, with a 13-26 mark at SIU Arena. Head coach Dan Muller is 3-1 versus Southern Illinois, with the home team winning each time last season.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?:
The Redbirds are aiming to climb four games above .500 in the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since Feb. 17, 2010. Illinois State is also striving to win its fourth MVC road game of the year, a feat ISU has not accomplished since going 4-5 in MVC road games during the 2008-09 season. The Redbirds will try to win their fourth-straight MVC game for the first time since earning four-straight conference victories in 2012-13. Southern Illinois is aiming to bounce back following four-consecutive losses.
ILLINOIS STATE AT A GLANCE:
Improved to 15-8 and 7-4 in the MVC after winning three-straight versus Missouri State (Jan. 28), at Loyola (Jan. 31) and against Evansville (Feb. 3) ... leads the MVC in rebounding margin, blocked shots, steals and offensive rebounds per game ... earned three MVC Newcomer of the Week accolades ... selected to finish fifth in the MVC.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT A GLANCE:
Fell to 9-15 and 2-9 in the MVC by losing at Drake (Feb. 4) ... led by Anthony Beane who ranks second in the MVC with 16.0 points per game overall and 12.6 points per conference game ... picked to finish seventh in the MVC after going 14-19 overall and 9-9 to tie for fourth place in the league last season … returned two of last year's starters.
ROAD WARRIORS
A year after going 3-11 – with just one MVC victory – in true road games, this season's team has excelled in hostile environments, earning a 5-3 record on the road, including a 3-2 MVC road-mark. ISU is aiming to win its fourth MVC road game of the year for the first time since going 4-5 in MVC road games during the 2008-09 season. Illinois State has earned the rebounding edge in seven of its eight road matchups, and senior guard Daishon Knight has thrived, averaging 18.4 points per road game, compared to his overall average of 14.6 points per contest.
DEFENDING THE ACES
In Illinois State's 77-51 victory over Evansville (Feb. 3), ISU limited the Missouri Valley Conference's No. 1 scoring offense to 21 points below its average (72.0). The Purple Aces' 51 points additionally marked their second-lowest scoring output of the season. UE also boasts the best field goal percentage in the league (49.0 percent); however, ISU held Evansville to 32.7 percent from the field and 0-for-10 from 3-point range.
10 AND 10
For just the second time in program history, Illinois State recorded double-digit blocks and steals in a single game, with 10 blocks and 10 steals, during the Redbirds' 77-51 victory over Evansville (Feb. 3). The only other time ISU accomplished the feat was in a 73-68 win against Evansville at Horton Field House, Jan. 17, 1979, when the Redbirds earned 10 blocks and 11 steals.
BLOCK PARTY
Led by sophomore center Reggie Lynch's five blocks in the Redbirds' win over Evansville (Feb. 3), Illinois State teamed up to match a program record for single-game blocks, with 10 total. It marked the fourth time that the Redbirds have recorded 10 blocks, with it last occurring Dec. 8, 2012, against Western Michigan.
DEFENSIVE DIFFERENCE
Illinois State's 48-45 win over Loyola (Jan. 31) marked the fourth time this season that the Redbirds have limited an opponent to 45 points or less. As proof that defense wins game, Illinois State is now 10-1 when holding the opposition below 60 points. ISU forced more turnovers against the Ramblers while earning the advantage in steals and blocks.
DOUBLE-THREAT
By collecting a career-high 12 rebounds and matching a career-best 20 points in ISU's win over Missouri State (Jan. 28), junior guard DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell registered his second double-double of the season. Akoon-Purcell not only became the first Redbird to earn two double-doubles this season, but also the first to record more than one since Jackie Carmichael earned 15 double-doubles in 2012-13.
LEE-DING IN STEALING
Sophomore point guard Paris Lee is statistically one of the nation's top defenders, ranking No. 9 nationally with 2.6 steals per game. Lee is on track to break Illinois State's single-season steals average, which is 2.0, set by Ron Jones in 1979-80. After recording three steals against Evansville (Feb. 3), Lee now has 57 this year and is closing in on ISU's single-season mark of 61, set by Todd Starks in 1986-87. Lee currently is tied for No. 4 on the single-season list, and he is No. 19 in career steals, with 104.
SOPHOMORE SWATTER
By blocking Seth Tuttle's layup attempt at the 18:16 mark in the second half of Illinois State's game against No. 19 Northern Iowa (Jan. 25), sophomore center Reggie Lynch broke ISU's sophomore blocks record. Lynch now has 60 blocks this season, surpassing the previous sophomore mark of 48 blocks established by Joe Galvin during the 1977-78 season. Lynch leads the MVC and ranks No. 14 nationally with 2.9 blocks per game. Last year, Lynch set the ISU freshman blocks mark with 96. Lynch ranks No. 3 on Illinois State's career blocks list, with 156, behind Greg Dilligard (160) and Jackie Carmichael (200).
FULL STRENGTH
All 13 players on Illinois State's active roster were healthy in the Redbirds' win against Missouri State (Jan. 28), marking the first time that ISU has been at full strength since its Dec. 14 win at DePaul. Versus the Blue Demons, DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell broke his right hand and was forced to miss ISU's next seven games. Staring Dec. 20 at Murray State, Deontae Hawkins missed 10 games with a stress reaction in his left foot. Reggie Lynch missed two games (Dec. 29 versus Quincy and Jan. 7 against Drake) due to back pain, and Paris Lee missed ISU's game at Drake (Jan. 20) with a knee injury. ISU has gone 3-0 since returning to full strength versus Missouri State.
GAME KNIGHT
Senior guard Daishon Knight has recorded double figures in a team-best 21 out of the last 29 games, dating back to last season, including 16 of 23 this year. He has scored 20 or more points 11 times at ISU.
HUNTING FOR 3-POINTERS
Redshirt senior guard Bobby Hunter leads the MVC, shooting 47.3 percent (35-for-74) from 3-point range. Hunter has made at least one 3-pointer in 11 out of his last 14 games, netting four in two games so far.
FIRST-HALF ATTACK
Illinois State has held the halftime advantage in all but three games - with one tie - this season. The only times ISU trailed at intermission were during the Redbirds' losses to Seton Hall (Nov. 24), at No. 16 Wichita State (Jan. 4) and at Indiana State (Jan. 14). ISU has not yet faced a halftime deficit at Redbird Arena. ISU is 15-4 when leading at halftime, 0-1 when tied, and 0-3 when trailing at the half. ISU has also earned a cumulative +8.4 scoring margin in the first half, compared to a -0.3 second-half scoring margin.
CONTROLLING THE BOARDS
Illinois State has only been outrebounded three times this season (at Murray State, Dec. 20, vs. Indiana State, Dec. 31 and vs. Bradley, Jan. 17). The Redbirds started the year by outrebounding their opponents in five-straight games, a feat ISU had not accomplished since outrebounding six-straight opponents in 2010-11. Illinois State is once again on a five-game streak of outrebounding the opposition. ISU has earned the rebounding edge in 19 out of 23 games, including nine of the last 10.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference in steals (8.0) per game and blocks (4.3), which is No. 34 and No. 79 in the nation, respectively. Sophomore guard Paris Lee leads the MVC and is No. 9 in the nation with 2.6 steals per contest, while sophomore center Reggie Lynch is averaging 2.9 blocks per game, which ranks No. 1 in the MVC and No. 14 nationally.
BALANCING ACT
Along with ISU's impressive defensive statistics, the Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference and rank No. 28 nationally with a +5.8 rebounding margin, while ranking No. 3 in the MVC with an +8.6 scoring margin and No. 2 with a +1.70 turnover margin. Comparatively, last year's Redbirds had a -1.3 rebounding margin, a -1.7 scoring margin and a +0.2 turnover margin at the same point.
REBOUNDING DIVIDEND
The Redbirds lead the Missouri Valley Conference with 13.4 offensive rebounds per game. ISU has established a +4.2 offensive rebounding margin (308-212), while holding an advantage on the offensive glass in 16 games, with one tie. ISU has capitalized on its offensive boards, scoring 121 more second-chance points than its opponents (274-153). In all 11 of the Redbirds' MVC games, ISU has earned the advantage in second-chance points.
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